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Another Texas Rider Killed

I suppose by now many of you have read about the death of another cyclist in Texas. This time in Georgetown, a little North of Austin.

Last Monday, Tommy Ketterhagen went out for a ride and didn’t return. His parents reported him missing and the next morning, his mother found him dead in a ditch. It was a hit and run.

They have the person that did it. It is all screwed up. A witness said they saw the whole event, but said they saw the bicycle flying in the air, but didn’t know whether a person was hit too? At best, that guy must be an idiot.

Anyway, another tragedy.

I never had the pleasure to ride with Tommy, But I have a ton of friends in Austin that did and have to be feeling terrible now.

Tomorrow, there is a ride to honor Tommy. It starts at his high school, where he graduated last year. East Valley High School at 10 am. I wish I was down in Texas and could do the ride to honor Tommy with his friends.

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23 thoughts on “Another Texas Rider Killed”

I hope they throw the book at whoever killed him. It seems when it involves a cyclist law enforcement goes easy on these murderers. It’s like cyclist are a class of disposable people. Afterall every gelatinous human being hates the site of anyone who dares ride the same roads they drive on! Bah! I can’t ride anymore but remember feeling the hate spewing from the passing cars.
RIP Tommy, I hope you can ride in peace where ever you are.

no words to describe what a horrible loss this is. I did not know this boy, but you can tell by his face book page he was a super special guy. the guy who hit him and the witnesses should have immediately called this in to the police since they claim to have not seen a rider just a bike, maybe if help got to him he would have lived. so, so, sad.

“Be careful out there”? The USA is really f__ked up when it comes to automobiles and roads. A wholesale change needs to take place in driver education to make it clear that the roads are for everyone, not just folks in automobiles. This idea is no accident, it started with the old anti “Jaywalking” campaigns so drivers wouldn’t have to stop to yield to pedestrians crossing the streets. This campaign forced pedestrians to become 2nd class citizens when it comes to using the roads which belong to ALL of us. We need a campaign to reverse this. Once that’s done, it might become reasonable to expect drivers to control their vehicles rather than let ’em ram into others and blame the victim because he or she wasn’t also piloting a multi-thousand pound, air-bag equipped motor vehicle.
Even our lawmakers and law enforcers have the attitude that taking to the streets in anything less than a “fortress-on-wheels” gas-guzzling monster is suicidal, so when some careless jerk runs you down while reaching for his “smart” phone, it’s your fault and the jerk gets off easy because of the America’s “God given right” to operate a motor vehicle idea.. The only thing more stupid than this is the USA’s attitude toward firearms…but I’ll save that one for another time.

Also…”Be careful out there”…..Steve…what the F%$#k! Do you ride on the same wave length as the rest of us??? It does not matter how careful you are…I have been hit from behind…lived but thought I was dead..and I was on the shoulder…The last 10 questions on driver’s tests should be about cyclists and motorist….I commute in SF everyday and everyday I am scared shitless by divers speeding at arms length by me…20% of them I really believe don’t give a shit…

riverdog-Sure it matter how careful you are nowadays. I agree that you aren’t always in control of your own destiny, but not trying to be overly careful, especially now, is, for-sure going to work out badly for you in the long run.

Godspeed to the young man’s family and friends. in texas, murder has to be intentional. likely the driver will be charged with manslaughter, which means recklessly causes the death of another. Sad and tragic for any life, especially a young life, to be taken in a bike accident such as this.

This isn’t IMO the most clearly written article, but it sounds like the driver was weaving in and out of traffic (passing traffic) on a two lane road and hit Kitterhagen head on. The time was 6:45 PM and the article doesn’t say if Kitterhagen was using lights. The driver also had dropped his smartphone–as if that explains anything.

I think when something tragic like this happens , we need to look at ourself . We are not in control of others , but what can we do to prevent needless deaths ?
Cell phones . I drive a lot of miles . The cell phone usage while driving is out of control by the motoring public . Everyone group of individuals are guilty of this , no single group is exempt .
I see cars going down the interstate with hi end bikes on the back , the driver texting away.
So , we are guilty too.
Next time you grab the phone to either text or call , think …. we can not control idiots , but we do not need to become one either.

and if that wasn’t enuf i fear this is the fuckin future… instead of puttin drivers in jail they will just ban road cycling all together like the morons in montana want to do… someone will show the way i’m pretty sure